Toxic Effect and Biochemical Study of Chlorfluazuron, Oxymatrine, and Spinosad on Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Abstract

Under laboratory conditions, the comparative effects of two insect growth regulators, chlorfluazuron and oxymatrine, and spinosad as a biopesticide were examined on honey bee workers (Apis mellifera L.). Separate groups of bees were left for 24 h to feed on 50% sucrose solution containing different concentrations of the tested insecticides, and the lethal concentration that caused 50% mortality (LC(50)) was estimated. The inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities as biochemical indicators were determined in vivo after 24 h in head, thorax, and abdomen of surviving bees obtained after treatments with a view to explore the possible mode of action of these compounds. Results indicated that exposure to spinosad showed toxicity to honey bees with LC(50) value of 7.34 mg L(-1), followed by oxymatrine (LC(50) = 10.68 mg L(-1)), while chlorfluazuron was the least acutely toxic of the tested compounds (LC(50) = 2,526 mg L(-1)). Oxymatrine and spinosad at the same tested concentrations (2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg L(-1)) significantly inhibited AChE activity in different organs of honey bee workers, and high inhibition percentage was obtained with the enzyme isolated from the thorax. However, chlorfluazuron at 400, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 mg L(-1) caused high inhibition of AChE activity isolated from the head (39.65% and 44.22% at 2,000 and 4,000 mg L(-1), respectively). In addition, the toxic effects of the tested compounds on activity of ATPase indicated that spinosad caused the highest inhibitory effect in different organs compared with oxymatrine at the same concentrations, and high inhibition was found with ATPase isolated from the head. The results also indicated that oxymatrine was the least active compound for inhibition of AChE and ATPase.

Molecular cloning and characterization of two nicotinic acetylcholine receptor β subunit genes from Apis cerana cerana

“…The insect nAChRs have long been recognized as potential targets for insecticides, but the widespread use of insecticides can also affect useful, non-target insects, such as the honey bee. The Chinese honey bee, Apis cerana cerana, is an important beneficial insect in agriculture that is constantly exposed to environmental pollution, including insecticides (Rabea et al, 2010). This species exists widely in China, but limited information on nAChRs in the Chinese honey bee is available.…”

Oxymatrine Promotes S-Phase Arrest and Inhibits Cell Proliferation of Human Breast Cancer Cells <i>in Vitro</i> through Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis

“…[5][6][7] For example, oxymatrine is the main effective and toxic alkaloid component derived from the root of Sophora flavescens AIT, which is widely distributed in Asia and the Pacific Islands. [8][9][10] It was previously reported that oxymatrine displays specific pharmacological effects in targeting hepatitis B infections and liver fibrosis. [11][12][13] Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that oxymatrine exerts anti-tumor properties in several cancers via different signaling pathways, such as suppression of proliferation and promotion of apoptosis.…”

Management strategies for western flower thrips in vegetable greenhouses in Iran: a review

“…It controls Tetranuchus urticae, Spodoptera littoralis, Leucinodes orbonalis, and Liriomyza sativae (Adiroubane & Raghuraman 2008;Asghari Tabari et al 2009;El-Mageed & Shalaby 2011;Medo & Marcic 2013). It is low-toxic for honey bees (Apis mellifera) in comparison to spinosad and chlorfluazuron (Rabea et al 2009). Oxymatrine is more toxic to WFT larvae (especially first instar larvae) than to adults (Gholami 2012).…”